A Brockport firefighter stands at attention during the annual vigil on September 11, 2010. photo by Caurie Putnam http://blogs.democratandchronicle.com/brockport/

The Brockport Firefighter’s 9/11 Memorial Monument on Main Street is one of the reasons I love calling this community “home.” I take pride and comfort living in a community that has not forgotten 9/11 and, hopefully, never will.

This September 11th marked the eighth anniversary I have visited the memorial during their day-long remembrance vigil. I always bring my boys Brice, 6, and Brady, 3, with me. When they were babies they obviously had no understanding of the significance of the memorial, but just as I have always taken them into voting machines with me, I felt I needed to establish familiarity – this is what we do on 9/11.

Our visit this year seemed to be the first one my older son Brice actually “got.” Both of the boys held my hands as we approached the monument that bears the weight of a warped steel beam from one of the fallen Twin Towers. They watched the honor guard of four volunteer Brockport fire fighters standing solemnly around the monument. They did not laugh, cry, or talk – they sensed the seriousness of the event. As we chose a special spot to place our flowers and walked away Brice said, “Mom they must be heroes.” “Hero” is a word the Brockport 9/11 Monument has helped me teach my sons.

The flowers we place every year always contain a homemade card we make- the card bears a photo and words about Jeremy Glick. Jeremy was one of the men on Flight 93 that has been attributed to rushing the cock-pit in an attempt to overtake the terroists. Jeremy was also a graduate of the University of Rochester – Class of 1993 – and a national judo champion.

I entered the U of R as a freshman the year Jeremy graduated, so I never knew him. But when 9/11 happened and our university family realized we had lost members, Jeremy became my touchstone to the tragedy. Young, smart, athletic, good values, a newlywed, a new parent - he reminded me of so many of my friends from U of R.

This year Brice asked to make the American flag to put in Jeremy’s flowers for the monument – so I let him. And it gave me an opportunity to tell him about that afternoon in 2001 when every store in Brockport I visited – from the “old Walmart” to Ryan’s Big M – was completely sold out of American flags.

“People made flags that day too Brice,” I told Brice as he glued his “flag” to a popsicle stick and stuck it in the Mums, “We all wanted flags to show the world how much we loved our country. There were not enough flags to go around.”

Our flowers and homemade flag for Jeremy Glick at the Brockport 9/11 Monument - framed by a piece of the World Trade Center. photo by Caurie Putnam

Brice wanted to know what else we did on that day before he was born, so mysterious, yet so visible to him on Main Street. I told him how most people I knew spent the day in front of the t.v.s watching the news, but that at a certain point in the day we needed each other more than information. “Lots of us went to Churches,” I said, “Even though it wasn’t a Sunday.”

I recalled the people of all faiths and no faiths that packed St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on Main Street for an impromptu candlelight vigil that night – it was absolutely amazing – a Brockport memory I will forever cherish. I remembered the friend who went with me to the Newman Catholic Center on the campus of SUNY Brockport following the vigil at St. Lukes – we sat in stunned silence together. There was a time for watching coverage on t.v. that day and there was a time for being with others in silence – Brockport’s faith communities facilitated that.

Brice and Brady won’t remember 9/11 the way I do – they were not even born. But they are remembering 9/11 thanks to our community. As we left the vigil this year I thanked one of the Brockport Firefighters for the event and he responded “Thank you for coming.”

No, thank you for giving us the opportunity to still come.

My son Brady Patrick, 3, at the Brockport 9/11 Monument at the Capen Hose Firestation on Main Street. photo by Caurie Putnamphoto by Caurie PutnamLooking out at the Memorial from inside the Capen Hose Building in Brockport. photo by Caurie Putnamphoto by Caurie Putnamphoto by Caurie Putnamphoto by Caurie PutnamIn the heart of the Village of Brockport lies in rest a piece of the Twin Towers - a piece of our hearts.

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Caurie Putnam I'm proud to have called Brockport my home for the past 15 years. I love it because it has a small town feel, but the presence of SUNY Brockport adds a small city flavor. I moved to Brockport after graduating from the University of Rochester to cover the community as a reporter for Messenger Post Newspapers. I grew up in Connecticut and Washington County, NY but fell in love with Brockport and decided to raise my family here. I am a single mom to two busy little boys who take after their busy Mommy! I am also a freelance writer for The Democrat and Chronicle and several other publications in western New York. My Brockport activities include: The Brockport Moms Club, Brockport PTSA, JJ's Angels, The Brockport Blizzards, and Tri-County Youth Hockey. As the Brockport Blogger, my goal is to bring you positive, family centered, community news and photos. Brockport is the hidden gem of Monroe County and I love to shine it up. Please send ideas, press releases, and feedback to Caurie at caurie@urgrad.rochester.edu You can also follow me on Twitter at @CauriePutnam